Power means for sofa bed



Jan. 24, 1967 Filed Sept. 28, 1965 W. J. STEFFAN POWER MEANS FOR SOFA BED 2 Sheets-Sheet l Waffel J. Sjreffan INVENTOR W. J. STEFFAN PowEE MEANS FOR SOFA BED Jan. 24,` 1961 Filed Sept. 28, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E r TE INVENTOR n pm f u H f M PM@ FE1 4 JN ll ...M S @MJ w Q H G MM W N,

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3,299,445 POWER MEANS FOR SOFA BED Walter J. Steflan. 12600 SE. Kelly, Portland, Greg. 97266 Filed Sent. 28, 1965, Ser. No. 490,849 12 Claims. (Cl. 5--13) This invention relates to mechanism in a sofa bed for unfolding and extending a folded-up bed frame contained within the body of the sofa bed. More particularly, it relates to power-operated mechanism whereby a foldedup bed frame mounted on and contained within a sofa body may be Ilifted and ejected out of the sofa body to convert the sofa bed for use as a bed.

With many known types of sofa bed, when` a user wishes to convert the unit from a sofa to a bed, he must ordinarily lift the folded bed frame out of the sofa body, and then extend the frame by pulling it away from the body. This is a difficult taskfor many lpersons because of the size and weight of the bed frame.

Accordingly, the present invention provides powerdriven mechanism which may be conveniently mounted in a sofa bed to assist in the conversionof a sofa bed from a sofa to a bed. A preferred embodiment of the invention is described herein adapted for operation in a `sofa bed of the type described in my copending application Serial No. 400,655, led October l, 1964, for a sofa bed. It should be understood, however, that modified forms of the invention may be used in other types of sofa beds. .j

A general object of this invention, therefore', is to provide mechanism in a sofa bed for assisting in unfolding and extending a folded-up bed frame which is confined within the body of the sofa bed.

Another object is to provide such a mechanism which is simple to use, reliable in operation, and which may have a relatively lightweight construction.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide such mechanism which is actuated 'by Ia motor, also mounted within the sofa bed, to lift portions of a foldedup bed frame out of the sofa body, and to eject the lifted portions forwardly away from the body.

A related object is to provide mechanism of the type described comprising lifting means and ejection means where, upon actuation of the mechanism, the lifting means operates first to lift portions of the bed frame above the sofa body, and the ejection means operates thereafter to eject the lifted portions of the bed frame forwardly away from the sofa body.

Another object of the invention is to provide such mechanism for use in a sofa bed to unfold and extend a folded-up bed frame mounted on the body of the sofa bed, where the mechanism may be readily installed without modification of the sofa bed. The mechanism may be conveniently mounted for use in various types of sofa beds before or after completion of the units.

A further object of the invention is to provide mechanism in a sofa bed for unfolding and extending a foldedup bed frame mounted on the body of the sofa bed, where the mechanism has ya starting position which it occupies with the bed `frame folded up, and an operating cycle whereby, on actuation of the mechanism, the bed frame is unfolded and extended from the sofa body, and where the mechanism completes its operating cycle, again oc` cupying its starting position, with the bed -frame extended from the sofa body.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more fully apparent when the description which follows is read in conjunction with the a-ppended drawings, wherein:v

FIG. l is a partial plan view of bottom portions of a United States Patent() then in the other.

3,2%,445 Patented Jan. 24, 1967 ICC sofa -bed embodying the invention, showing the general organization of lifting and ejecting mechanism in the body of the sofa bed;

FIG. 2 (second sheet of drawings) is a somewhat enlarged View, taken along the 'line 2 2 in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2, but with parts in the mechanism occupying a different position from the one shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 (first sheet of drawings) is a side elevation, on the same scale as FIG. l, of the sofa bed shown in FIG. l:

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4, but shows the lifting and ejecting mechanism in a different position; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIGS. 4 and 5, but shows the lifting and ejecting mechanism in still another position.

Turning now to the drawings, and with reference first to FIGS. l, 4, 5, and 6, the body of a sofa bed is indicated generally at 10. The body includes a oorboard 12, an upright frontboar'd 14 which extends along the front of the body adjacent the floorboard, and arm structure 16 along each side of the body (one'side only being shown in FIG. l).

Mounted on the sofa body is a sectional extensible bed frame 18, shown in FIG. 4 folded up and held within the lsofa body. The frame may be unfolded and extended from the 'body to form a bed by folding out 'bed frame sections `6, 7 and 8. The bed frame illustrated includes a pair of transverse members 18a and 1Sb which extend .across the width of the bed frame, and which will be discussed again later.- Reference is .made to my aboveindicated prior filed application for a complete description ofthe bed frame and its mounting in the sofa body.

According to the invention, mechanism is provided in the sofa body for unfolding .and extending the bed frame from the folded-up position it has in FIG. 4. Such mechanism, also referred to as lifting and ejecting mechanism, is indicated generally at 20 in FIG. l.

Mechanism 20 is mounted on the sofa body through a mounting plate 22 (an elongated piece of angle iron shape), which is secured to the floorboard adjacent the front of the sofa body by screws 24. The plate is positioned approximately midway between the sides of the body.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated, mechanism 20 further includes an elongated threaded shaft 26 which is contained in a protective housing 28. The housing extends along the length of the shaft, and supports the shaftat its opposite ends, in journal mountings 30 and 32 which are suitably secured adjacent opposite ends of the housing. The housing is secured to the mounting plate by a pair of brackets 33 which are fastened both to the housing and to the mounting plate by bolts 34.

Referring now also to FIGS. 2 and 3, the mechanism further includes a pair of elongated lifting arms 35, 36 for lifting up portions of the bed frame, and a pair of elongated ejection arms 38 and 40, for ejecting the lifted-up portions of the frame by shifting such portions forwardly from the sofa body. The operation of these arms will -be more `fully developed later. i f

A drive member 42 is provided on shaft 26 for actuating the lifting and ejection arms. 'Phe drive member may comprise a relatively large traveling nut threaded onto shaft 26, which is shifted back and forth along the shaft by rotation of the shaft first in one direction and The inner walls of housing 28 engage the sides of member 42, and prevent it from turning within the housing.

A reversible electric motor 44 is provided -for actuating the mechanism. The motor is mounted on the floor- ;f board adjacent one side of the sofa body, and is operatively connected to shaft 26 through a suitable gear box 46, a power shaft 48 and a coupler 50, as best shown in FIG. 1. Operation of the motor, whereby it may be started and run in either of opposite directions, is controlled -by a switch. 52 which is conveniently mounted on the arm structure near the motor.

Considering now again FIGS. 2 and 3 which show the lifting and ejecting mechanism in greater detail, the housing for shaft 26 has a slot-like opening 54 extending along its lengt-h on one -side of the housing. The opening faces into the sofa body away from frontboard 14. Member 42 which is mounted on shaft 26 includes a pin 56 which projects out of the housing through this opening. As the drive member moves back and forth along the shaft with turning of the shaft, the pin moves back and forth in the opening. A starting position for member 42 on the drive shaft is approximately that position shown in FIG. 3 where it is near the right-hand end of the shaft.

Before operation of the lifting and ejecting mechanism, the lifting arms are horizontal and extend from one toward the other side of the sofa bed. Lifting arm 35 has one end pivotally connected at 58 to the housing, and its other end m-ounts a roller 60 which is free to rotate on such end. The other lifting arm 36 has one end pivotally connected at 62 to arm 35, at a point intermediate the ends of arm 3S, and its opposite end journaled on pin 56 of the drive member. It will be apparent that when drive member 42 and its pin are shifted from right to left along shaft 26 (as viewed in FIG. 3), the lifting arms will be swung upwardly to an on-end position, and when the drive member is then shifted in the opposite direction, the arms will 'be lowered.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, the forward end of ejection arm 38 is pivotally mounted in a bracket and pin assembly 64, which is suitably secured to the mounting plate 22. The opposite end of the arm is free and is formed into a curled lip 66 (illustrated bestin FIG. 4). Arm 38 is swingable about its forward end upwardly and forwardly from the position shown in FIG. 4, to an onend position as shown in FIG. 6l. One end of the other ejection arm 40 is pivotally connected to arm 38 at 68. The opposite end of arm 40 mounts a roller 70, which engages and is adapted' to roll along the ioorboard. The ejection arms before actuation of the lifting and ejecting mechanism are substantially parallel to the oorboard and extend from the front to the rear of the sofa bed, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 4.

According to the invention, the mechanism includes apparatus for connecting the ejection arms with drive lmember 42, whereby on movement of the drive member, the ejection .arms are actuated. In the embodiment illustrated, this apparatus comprises latch and catch means, which are adapted to be releasably interlocked, as will be described.

The catch means includes an elongated guide shaft l'72 supported above the mounting bracket by a pair of support members 74 which are suitably secured to plate 22, and a catch '76 which is slidably mounted on the guide shaft between the support imembers. The catch has a sleeve portion 76a which encircles the guide shaft, and a ange portion 76b. An elongated flexible line or tensioning element 78, one end of which is suitably connected at 80 with flange portion 76b of the catch, has its opposite end connected at 82 with the end of arm 40` which tmounts roller 70. A guide post and roller assembly 84 is mounted on plate 22 which trains the line between its ends. Before actuating of the lifting and ejecting mechanism, the catch is positioned adjacent the left-hand end of the guide shaft, as shown in FIG. 2.

The latch means includes an elongated arm 86 which is pivotally connected intermediate its ends to anm 36 at 88. One end of the arm is connected to the same arm at 90 by a biasing spring 92. The other end of the arm mounts a latch 94 and a releasing finger 96 (best seen in FIGS. 1 and 5 The releasing linger projects away from the arm toward the front board of the sofa body. A releasing ramp 98 suitably secured to the top of housing 28 is provided to engage and actuate the releasing finger as will be explained.

Considering now how the structure described operates, mechanism 20 is in its starting position in the sofa bed with the bed frame folded up and contained within the body. In the starting position for the mechanism arms 3S, 36 are substantially horizontal substantially as shown in FIG. 3, and ejection arms 40, 38 are substantially horizontal and close to the floorboard as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Line 78 which is connected to arm 40y at 82, by reason of the tension in the line produced when arms 38, 40 are horizontal, has pulled catch 76 to a position adjacent the left-hand bracket 74 as seen in FIG. 2. Drive member 42 is positioned adjacent the right hand of shaft 46 as such shaft is shown in FIGS. l, 2 and 3.

With unotor 44 started to produce lifting of the bed frame, member 42 moves to the left in FIGS. l, 2 and 3 on shaft 26 causing the lifting arms to assume an upright position by reason of the connection of member 42 with arm 36 through pin 56. As the lifting arms rise, roller 60 engages transverse lmember 18a of the bed frame and raises this member and adjacent portions of the bed frame upwardly and out of the soft body. At the same time the latch on arm 86 is shifted toward the catch 76. Lifting continues until the lifting arms and bed frame have reached the position illustrated in FIG. 5. On the lifting arms reaching thisposition, latch 94 will have shifted to the. left of catch 76.to have the position shown in FIG. 2. With the various parts in their so-described positions, the lifting period of the lifting and ejection mechanism 20 has been completed.

With the bed frame in the position shown in FIG. 5 at the end of Athev lifting period, the curled lip on the free end of ejection arm 38` is positioned below and somewhat behind transverse member 18b of the bed frame. To eject the bed frame forwardly of the sofa body, and to start what is referred to herein as an ejection period for the lifting and ejection mechanism 20, motor 44 is run in the reverse direction. This causes drive member 42 to lbe moved back along shaft 26 toward its original starting position and lowering of thevlifting arms whereby they may again assume a substantially horizontal position.

Latch 94 at the same time shifts from left to right and, through engagement with the tiange portion of the catch as illustrated in FIG..2, urges the catch to the right along the guide shaft. Biasing spring 92 on arm 86 tends to prevent the latch from slipping over the top of the ange portion.

With shifting of the catch as described, line 78 tenses and pulls on the end of ejection arm 40' which mounts roller 70. This causes the ejection arms to move toward an upright position and with such movement of the arms, curled lip 66 engages transverse Inember 181) to force it upwardly and forwardly toward the front of the sofa body. With this, portions of the bed frame which were lifted during the lifting period are thrown forwardly away from the sofa body.

FIG. 6 illustrates positions of the bed frame and the ejection arms immediately prior to the end of the ejection period. The bed frame (which is only partly shown) is extended out from the front of the sofa body, and the ejection arms are in substantially upright positions.

FIG. 3 shows the positions of `the lifting arms and of the drive member just before the end of the ejection period. It lwill ibe noted that the releasing finger on arm 86 is nearly `in contact with the releasing ramp 98.

As the drive member continues to shift to the right toward its starting position, the releasing ramp engages and lifts the finger, whereupon the l-atch and catch are disengaged. When the latch is freed from the catch, line 78 relaxes, and the ejection arms are lowered by gravity to their starting positions, with roller 70 rolling back over the floorboald, and with the catch sliding back along the guide shaft. The motor is then turned oft' to end the ejection period.

The operating cycle of the mech-anism is thus completed with the bed frame extended from the sofa body, and with mechanism occupying the starting position which it had with the bed frame initially folded up and contained within the sofa body.

It Will be apparent that the invention may easily be installed for use in a variety of sofa beds. It is relatively simple in operation, and is conveniently located in the sofa body for servicing. Since it is adapted to operate without being fastened to the bed frame, it does not prevent the bed frame from being extended by hand. This is an important feature in the event of an electric power failure. l

It will be apparent to one skilled in the a-rt that variations and modications of the invention are possible without departing from its basic principles, and it is desired to cover all such variations and modifica-tions which come within the scope of the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. IIn a sofa bed having a sofa -body and an extensible folded-up bed frame mounted on said body, mechanism for unfolding and extending said bed =frame out of said sofa body comprising a lifting arm mounted on said sofa body adapted to be raised and operable when raised to lift portions of said bed frame out of said sofa body,

an ejection arm mounted on said sofa body, adapted to be raised and operable after raising of said bed frame by said lifting arm to eject the lifted portions of said bed frame forwardly away from said sofa body thereby to extend said bedframe, power-operated means, and means connecting said power-operated means to said lifting and ejection arms whereby the lifting arm is first raised, and then lowered with the raising of said ejection arm.

2. The combination comprising a sofa bed having a sofa body and an extensible foldedup bed frame mounted on said body,

lifting means mounted on said sofa body for movement upwardly from a lowered position an-d operable upon being raised to lift portions of said bed frame out of said sofa body,

eject-ion means mounted on said sofa body, operable upon actuation to eject lifted portions of said bed frame forwardly away from said sofa body thereby to extend said bed frame, and

a motor mounted on said sofa body connected with said lifting and ejection means, operable during a first phase of operation -to raise said lifting means, and operable during a succeeding phase of operation to then lower said lifting means and to actuate said ejection means.

3. The combination of a sofa bed having a sofa body and an extensible foldedup -bed frame mounted on said body, and

mechanism mounted on said body for unfolding `said bed frame by lifting and then ejecting it from out of sa-id sofa body, including a lifting arm which occupies a lowered position on said body with the bed frame folded up, power-operated means for actuating said mechanism,

means operatively connecting said power-operated means and said mechanism whereby on operation of the power-operated means the lifting arm is first raised to produce lift-ing of said bed frame and is then lowered while the bed frame is ejected out from said sofa body whereby the lifting arm returns to its lowered position on said body with the bed frame extended.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein said poweroperated means comprises a reversible motor and said motor is operated in one direction during raising of said lifting arm and in the opposite direction during lowering of the lifting arm.

6 5. The combination of a sofa bed having a sofa body and an extensible foldedup bed frame mounted on said body, and mechanism for unfolding and extending said bed frame out of said sofa body, said mechanism including a drive member occupying a starting position with the -bed frame folded, movable along a path to another position spaced from the starting position, lifting means for lifting up portions of the bed frame actuated to produce such lifting with movement of said drive member from its starting position to its said other position, and ejection means for ejecting lifted up portions of the bed frame actuated after actuation of said lifting means, to produce such ejection 'by return movement of said drive member toward its starting position from its said other position. 6. The combination of claim 5, wherein said drive member is mounted for movement back and forth on a shaft. 7. The combination of claim 6, wherein a motor is provided for powering said drive member in its movement to and fro on said shaft, and control means is provided for changing the direction in which said motor moves the drive member.

8. The combination of a sofa bed having a sofa body and an extensible foldedup bed frame mounted `on said body, and mechanism for unfolding and extending said bed frame out of said sofa body comprising lifting means and ejection means, lwith said lifting and ejecting means having starting positions which the same occupy with the bed frame folded up, said mechanism having an operating cycle which includes a lifting period and an ejection period, said lifting means being operable during the lifting period of said operating cycle to lift portions of said bed frame out of said sofa body, with said ejection means remaining in its said starting position during said lifting period, said ejection means being operable during the ejection period of said opearting cycle to eject said portions of said bed frame, with said lifting means returning to its said starting position during said ejection period. 9. In a sofa bed having a sofa body and an extensible i folded-'up bed frame mounted on the body, the combination of a mounting plate secured to said sofa body below said bed frame,

a shaft,

means mounting said shaft adjacent said mounting plate for rotation ofthe shaft about its longitudinal axis,

a dr-ive member operatively engaging said shaft, occupying a starting position on said shaft with the bed frame folded, said member, upon rotation of said shaft in one direction, being movable along said shaft to another position spaced from the starting position, said member said movable back to its starting position from its said other position upon rotation of the shaft in the opposite direction,

lifting means for lifting up portions of the bed frame comprising a lifting arm actuated, upon movement of said drive member from its starting position to its said other position, to assume an on-end position and lift portions o'f said bed frame,

ejection means for ejecting lifted-up portions of the bed frame comprising an ejection arm, and means opera- -tively connecting said ejection a-rm and said drive member whereby, upon movement of said drive member from its said other position to its said starting position, the arm assumes an on-end position and ejects portions of the Ebed frame forwardly out of said sofa body,

a motor mounted on said sofa body connected to said shaft for rotating said shaft, and

7 control means for reversing the direction of rotation of said shaft. 10. The combination of claim 9, wherein said lifting arm prior to being actuated extends from one side of the 'sofa bed towar-d its oppOs-ite side, and said ejection arm prior to being actuated extends from the front to the back of the sofa bed.

11. The `combination of Iclaim 9, wherein said means connecting said ejection arm and said drive member comprises catch means operatively connected to said ejection arm, releasable latch means operatively connected to said lifting arm adapted to engage said catch means during lifting of said portions of said bed frame, and a releasing ramp mounted adjacent said drive shaft and adapted to disengage said latch and catch means during movement of 12. The combination of claim A9, wherein said shaft and drive member are in threaded engagement.

References Cited by the Erraminer FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examinez'.

said `drive member from its said other position to its 15 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Examiner.

starting posit-ion. 

9. IN A SOFA BED HAVING A SOFA BODY AND AN EXTENSIBLE FOLDED-UP BED FRAME MOUNTED ON THE BODY, THE COMBINATION OF A MOUNTING PLATE SECURED TO SAID SOFA BODY BELOW SAID BED FRAME, A SHAFT, MEANS MOUNTING SAID SHAFT ADJACENT SAID MOUNTING PLATE FOR ROTATION OF THE SHAFT ABOUT ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS, A DRIVE MEMBER OPERATIVELY ENGAGING SAID SHAFT, OCCUPYING A STARTING POSITION ON SAID SHAFT WITH THE BED FRAME FOLDED, SAID MEMBER, UPON ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT IN ONE DIRECTION, BEING MOVABLE ALONG SAID SHAFT TO ANOTHER POSITION SPACED FROM THE STARTING POSITION, SAID MEMBER SAID MOVABLE BACK TO ITS STARTING POSITION FROM ITS SAID OTHER POSITION UPON ROTATION OF THE SHAFT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, LIFTING MEANS FOR LIFTING UP PORTIONS OF THE BED FRAME COMPRISING A LIFTING ARM ACTUATED, UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID DRIVE MEMBER FROM ITS STARTING POSITION TO ITS SAID OTHER POSITION, TO ASSUME AN ON-END POSITION AND LIFT PORTIONS OF SAID BED FRAME, EJECTION MEANS FOR EJECTING LIFTED-UP PORTIONS OF THE BED FRAME COMPRISING AN EJECTION ARM, AND MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID EJECTION ARM AND SAID DRIVE MEMBER WHEREBY, UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID DRIVE MEMBER FROM ITS SAID OTHER POSITION TO ITS SAID STARTING POSITION, THE ARM ASSUMES AN ON-END POSITION AND EJECTS PORTIONS OF THE BED FRAME FORWARDLY OUT OF SAID SOFA BODY, A MOTOR MOUNTED ON SAID SOFA BODY CONNECTED TO SAID SHAFT FOR ROTATING SAID SHAFT, AND CONTROL MEANS FOR REVERSING THE DIRECTION OF ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT. 